The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-02-12
washington News and Gossip.
From our Special Correspondent.
WAsuINGToN, u. c.. Feb.

WAs1IINGToN, ID. O., Feb, 8, 'S7,
Mr.. EpIToR; Some very important /
changes are about to be made in the
Treasury Department. Secretary Manning
it will be remembered, rendered his resigna-
tion at the time of his illness, andaltholiGh
the resignation is still in the hands Of the
President and has not been acted upon, Mr..
Manning has announced his attention OF
Withdrawing from the Cabinet. Treasurer
Jordan has also rendered his resignation
and asked that IL receive immediate action,
though he may possibly continue in office
until the adjournment of Congress. Mr.
Manning will FIJI the position of president,
and Mr.. Jordan that of vice. president of
the "New Western National Bank of New
York City," which will begid business on
the first of May. Applications for more
than $4,000, 900 of stock in the bank have
been received, but only $3,OOO,OOO will be
accepted.
The second State dinner of the season
was given by the President and Mrs. Cleve-
land, in honor of the Diplomptic Corps, on
Thursday evening last. The representatives
Of twenty-three of the thirty friendly ma
tions usually represented attended in full
court costume. Mrs. Cleveland had been
especially Interested in both the arrange
ments and in the personnel of the party
invited to meet them, and the State apart
ments We're richly decorated with flowers.
The East Room, where the guests met Mrs.
Cleveland, was transformed into bower.
The recent passage of the Mexican pens
ion bill will necesstate the employment of
two hundred and fifty additional clerks in
the Pension Office. Commissioner Black
is preparing for the trying ordeal, and says
that he will endeavor to complete the ex-
animation of the $4,000 applications from
this source before the expiration of the
present fiscal year. Although the addi-
tionai clerical force, which is to be appointed,
will be required but few months, appli.
cations for appointment are being received
daily, and the Commissioner thinks that
there will be no fewer than five thousand
applications upon file by the time ofmaling
appointments arrives. ."
The War Department has of late obcen
engaged in collecting information coi7cefn.
ing the strength of the militia force Of The
United States, and the reports which have
been received from the adjutant-genefals
of the various States are very encouraging.
The reports for the past year show an in.
lpr fNf in, la ,oI II
the militia force. There are at the present
! time oyer 81, 900 militiamen in state OF
thorough organization, and over 100000
men available for military service.
One of the most distinguished gather.
ings that have assembled about a banquet
table in Washington in many years was the
party that gathered at Chamberlain's on
Wednesday evening last. as guests Of Mr..
William Walter Phelps, in honor Of Mr..
Hiscock's election to the United States
Senate. Among those present were Mr..
West. the British Minister; Speaker Carlisle,
! Senator Sherman, Secretary Lamar, Murat
Halstead, of the Commercial Gazette; Sena-
tor Eyarts, ex-senator Platt, Representative
Morrison, Senator Sewell, Hon. Levi y.
Morton, Henry Watterson. of the Louis
vile Courier Journal; Chauncy NJ. Depue,
Secretary Whitney, Gen. Sheridan, Justice
Blatchford, Representatives Reid, Randall,
Astor, and McKinly, and Whtelaw Reid,
of the New York Tribune. The table
decorations were elegant. A huge bouquet
of Jacquinot roses rested in the center of
the table. Four candlesticks, each bearing
five candles, served to light the festive
board No speeches were made, and the
affair was almost Informal in its nature.
The Senate devoted much of its time
during the past week to the discussion OF
Senator Beck's bill prohibiting Senators
and Members of Congress from receiving
fees from railroad companies during their
term of office. During the discussion,
which was participated in by nearly all OF
the Senators, some of the ablest speeches
of the session we're made, and the bill was
passed on Friday evening by vote of 39
to II. 'i'o' Z
An excursion party from Northern and
Central New York, numbering upwards OF
one thousand persons, arrive ed in the city
on Thursday, and spent the two or three
days of their stay in visiting the various
points of interest. III